via Flight Global...
Wow.Fleet pressure prompts Israel to rebuild scrapped CH-53By Arie Egozi
With no immediate substitute for the Israeli air force's Sikorsky CH-53 transport helicopters in the frame, the service has decided to rebuild one aircraft which was cannibalised for spare parts and dumped in a scrapyard several years ago.
The need to reactivate aircraft 985 is one outcome following an Israeli CH-53 Yasur crash in Romania in July 2010.
Six Israeli crew members and one Romanian observer were killed when the aircraft came down during a joint exercise.
According to a report in the Israeli air force magazine, the service's 22nd maintenance unit will perform the rebuild, which will fit the aircraft to its modernised 2025 standard.
The upgrade, already being carried out on all Israel's operational CH-53s, will see the installation of 20 new systems, including an advanced electronic warfare suite, and a satellite communications fit to expand the type's operational capability.
The project will also introduce an altitude hold-and-hovering stabilisation system and a laser obstacle ranging and display capability.
Israel plans to continue flying its current fleet until it can acquire Sikorsky's new-generation CH-53K, under development for the US Marine Corps.Only the CH-53K is designed for the type of missions Israel's Yasur helicopters are required to perform, the air force says.
Can we see a future joint helicopter formed from the CH-53K?
It would make sense.
It would lower costs.
It would be extremely capable across the entire spectrum.
The only problem is that the US Army is aiming for an airplane even larger than the 53K...something approaching the size of the C-130....
My best guess is that the CH-47 will continue to be modernized and that the Joint Heavy Lift Helicopter project will die a well deserved death.
With any luck the "K" will be in full swing by the time the Europeans start seriously looking at a heavy lift helicopter. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI'm a bit surprised Israel isn't pushing for (a limited number of) MV-22s. Cost is an issue of course, but especially Israel could use the Osprey for long-range, small unit raids.
ReplyDeleteOn a side note, the size of the letters of the quoted article above is a bit too large, its a bit awkward while reading.
Just some friendly feedback :).
I have not checked on the status of the 53K program recently. When are they suppose to be IOC? Also aren't there many old 53 airframes out at Davis-Monthan? Surely the Israelis might want to look at some of them?
ReplyDeleteGee maybe a niche market for old helos?
All the E's have been pulled out of DM already IIRC.
ReplyDeletewhat about the Navy models? aren't they retiring some of their helo and switching to an all MH-60 force???
ReplyDelete